


To You Whom I've Let Go

by rinnenotsubasa



Series: Playlist [11]
Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Bittersweet, Established Relationship, M/M, Moving On, Post-Break Up
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:01:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28106700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rinnenotsubasa/pseuds/rinnenotsubasa
Summary: Some say we don't get to marry the person we love the most.One chapter, one story:1. SEVENTEEN: Jeon Wonwoo, Xu Minghao, Kwon SoonyoungHey! Say! JUMP-Nai Mono Nedari
Relationships: Jeon Wonwoo/Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi, Jeon Wonwoo/Xu Ming Hao | The8
Series: Playlist [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/895056
Kudos: 10





	To You Whom I've Let Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wonwoo had an unexpected encounter at the movie theater.

“You’re unbelievable,” Minghao said with what’s probably his best exasperated tone, a half-hearted effort in Wonwoo’s evaluation. His fiancé didn’t even try to hide his fond smile as he looked at Wonwoo. 

The two men were standing in front of the theater entrance. From the glass door you could see a pop-up banner next to the food & beverage counter; a woman holding a rifle with the background of high-story buildings and explosions, and large letters spelling “First Target.” It’s the anticipated collaboration of actress Park Seulgi and director Song Mina, both Wonwoo and Minghao’s favorite people in the entertainment world.

The theater was not originally a part of their destination list today. The pair had a big day tomorrow and today they went to the florist for final checking and to the food catering to discuss a last-minute change. When all had been crossed off today’s to-do-list, Minghao asked Wonwoo if they missed anything. 

And Wonwoo brought him here, to the cinema. 

“You hate spoilers the most,” said Wonwoo as he replied to Minghao's smile. He couldn’t see his own face, but judging from how his lips curving up brought a warm tingle to his chest, Wonwoo was willing to bet that people could see his affection towards his fiancé just by a single glance.

After a chuckle, Minghao said, “You know me so well. And Mingyu--” Minghao rolled his eyes, a gesture Wonwoo understood and sympathized with. There’s no doubt that Kim Mingyu was the true friend Minghao needed in life, but as a fellow anti-spoiler force, Wonwoo related to Minghao’s frustration whenever Mingyu (both accidentally and unintentionally) spoiled the plot of movies or series Minghao wanted to watch. 

“Do you think if we ban him from the catering--” Minghao continued as they walked through the entrance, hand in hand. “--he’ll stop being an ass?”

“He’ll quit being your best man tomorrow.”

“We’ll have Seungcheol be the best man for both of us.”

Wonwoo let out a chuckle and his right hand unconsciously tightened its grip on Minghao’s left. The motion made Minghao’s fingers pressing closer to Wonwoo’s own, and it reminded Wonwoo of the metal circling Minghao’s pinky. Tomorrow they’ll change that ring into a new one. 

In about 24 hours Wonwoo and Minghao will no longer be fiancés. Wonwoo felt another jolt of excitement at the fact, probably the hundredth time Wonwoo had experienced since the two of them got engaged 10 months ago.

Soaking up in the surge of emotions, Wonwoo briefly caressed the metal on Minghao’s pinky before gently untangling their joined hands. He could feel Minghao waiting patiently as he reached his pants pocket to pull out his phone.

“Should’ve known that you already got the ticket.” 

“I’m well prepared,” Wonwoo responded as he navigated his right thumb on the screen. When he found the e-ticket, he turned to Minghao, who already had his hand extended. Wonwoo gave him the phone and they both walked towards the ticket printing machine. 

Minghao didn’t notice when Wonwoo stopped on his tracks. There’s a man going out of the corridor nearby, the one connecting the lobby to the restroom. For other people the man might not be out of the ordinary; he had jet black hair, not bright green like Wonwoo had seen on the man before. His petite eyes and nose combined with fair, soft skin might turn some heads, but other than that the man was supposed to be blending with other movie-goers. Maybe if he had brought his vivid orange, tiger stripe sling bag, it would attract more attention. 

Wonwoo was able to single the man out of the crowd because the man was Kwon Soonyoung. He knew Soonyoung used to have bright green hair because Wonwoo was the one who dyed it. He knew Soonyoung had a tiger bag because Wonwoo accompanied Soonyoung for 3 hours at the arcade to get the bag from a crane machine. He knew Soonyoung had soft skin because Wonwoo had spent many days and nights caressing Soonyoung’s plump cheeks, embracing Soonyoung. That was more than three years ago.

Present Soonyoung was walking towards the theater’s glass door. His steps were sure, didn’t seem like he was waiting for someone else. And that was it. Soonyoung was gone beyond the door and into the crowd outside by the time Minghao returned to Wonwoo’s side with their tickets. That moment Wonwoo felt a familiar twinge in his chest, though the intensity was considerably less compared to his previous experience. One tenth. No, it’s probably one one-hundredth. When Wonwoo first witnessed the image of Soonyoung’s back going away from him three years ago, it was far more painful than this little pinch.

“What’s wrong?” Minghao raised his brows, while his eyes widened in confusion. Wonwoo must have been so distracted that he didn’t have the time to school his expression and got Minghao wondering.

“Thought I saw someone I knew.”

Wonwoo went on saying that the person’s gone and it might have been his mistake. The explanation seemed to satisfy Minghao and he offered Wonwoo his left hand as they walked towards the studio. When Wonwoo took the hand, he felt better. Grounded. Minghao had that effect on him and Wonwoo wasn’t going to let it go, so he held his fiancé’s hand firmly.

During the movie Wonwoo was able to enjoy it fully. It was easy to dive into an alternate universe where it’s just him, Minghao, and the fictional characters. Both of them weren’t the type who’d talk while watching a movie, but they’re always connected. When there’s a funny scene Minghao would giggle into Wonwoo’s shoulder, and when there’s an especially suspenseful scene, Minghao’s thumb would move in gentle strokes on Wonwoo’s palm. So Wonwoo was always able to immerse in the movie world while staying connected with Minghao. He liked it, and probably Minghao too. That’s why they went to the cinema for many of their dates. 

With Soonyoung, Wonwoo only went to the theater a handful of times. Soonyoung was too expressive for movie-watching in the theaters. When they watched heart-wrenching dramas his sobs were too loud to muffle with Wonwoo’s shoulders, and a thriller’s jump scare brought out a scream from Soonyoung that threatened to break the eardrums of the whole studio. It was somewhat a letdown, but Wonwoo always loved their movie dates at his place. Within the comfort of private space and sound-proof walls, Wonwoo enjoyed watching Soonyoung screamed, cried, and laughed with his whole being. 

When the movie finished, Minghao asked to stop by the toilet. Wonwoo didn’t need to go so he waited on the corridor, standing a few meters from the toilet entrance. On the wall across him were four framed movie posters. The one on the far left was something that Wonwoo didn’t remember seeing before. It seemed like a horror movie, judging from the dark colors and vibe surrounding the house in the poster. Definitely not a movie Soonyoung would go all the way to the theater to watch, especially by himself. What did Soonyoung watch anyway? And was he really alone? The Soonyoung that Wonwoo knew wouldn’t go to the cinema without a company…. but who knew? Time changes people. And feelings.

Later that night when Wonwoo had gone home (alone because Minghao’s mother wanted Minghao to spend the night with family), he opened his laptop and scrolled through his photo albums. The folders from 2016 and 2017 were filled with hundreds of scenery, Soonyoung, their two-shots, and their smiles. 

Seeing the photos evoked some of the great feelings from the memories, but they weren’t as intoxicating as Wonwoo remembered. Now Wonwoo could even see a different meaning behind their smiles. At the time when the photos were taken, Wonwoo already knew that the love they shared was eating away at their true happiness. It wasn’t a pleasant fact to accept, so he tried to brush it off and told himself it’s fine because they’re smiling. But now in 2020 it was obvious to Wonwoo’s eyes: their smiles were both genuine and forced because _they_ were not meant to be.

Wonwoo’s screen was filled with an enlarged Soonyoung, who’s twisting his neck to the right to look at the camera with a wide smile and holding out his right hand. At the image, a thought occurred to Wonwoo’s mind: What if Soonyoung appeared right here, right now, on the last night before Wonwoo belonged to someone else? What if Soonyoung offered his hand to take him away?

It’s amazing how time changed Wonwoo. Time he spent with Minghao, to be exact. The past Wonwoo would be surprised to know how easily present Wonwoo dismissed his imagination and laughed at it. Of course. The past Wonwoo only knew of how much he loved Soonyoung, and how much he _thought_ it would destroy him to be separated from Soonyoung. 

Wonwoo looked at Soonyoung’s smiling face for the last time before turning off his laptop, connecting the image to the memory of seeing Soonyoung this afternoon at the theater. The Soonyoung at the theater wasn’t smiling widely like Soonyoung in the photo. There’s no way for Wonwoo to find out, but he wished present Soonyoung could still smile like his past self, maybe in some other time Wonwoo didn’t know, with or without other people. 

That night Wonwoo called Minghao before going to sleep. He listened to Minghao telling how much he’s both amused and annoyed with his family’s emotional talks on his last day as a single man. He greeted Minghao’s mother when the latter asked for him and somehow got the older woman to promise to let Minghao have enough sleep tonight. 

It was 10 PM when Wonwoo said “Good night” and “I love you” to Minghao. Much earlier than his usual sleep schedule, but he had a big day tomorrow, Wonwoo thought with a small smile gracing his lips.


End file.
